Steering-wheel lock.



`(manna n. Mnnrznn, or Das MOINES, IOWA, AssIGNoR oF omi-HALF To CARL B. v SMITH, or Das MOINES, IOWA.

` hamaca..

l To all whom it may concern.'

`Be it known that I, CLAUDE E. MENTZ'ER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Des Moines,

State'oflowa, have invented a certain .new

andfuseful Steering-Wheel Lock, of 'which the following is aspecification.. l -v 'The object of my invention is to provide a' steering wheel lock of very simple and also. 'of inexpensive4 construction havmg parts My invention consists in the construction,

- arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contempl'ated are attained', as hereinafterjmore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure l' shows a top or plan View of a portion of the steering Wheel equipped with la 'lock embodying my inventio A Fig. 2 lshows a vertical, central, sectional `view through the same, taken onthe line Fig.- 3 shows a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a top or plan view of a stefliri-ng Wheel equipped with -my improvedA loc j .c

In thel accompanyingdrawings, I'have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the hub of a steering Wheel having the spokes 11 andthe arm 12.

r1 he hub 10.is rotatably mountedlupon a steering post 13 which projects at its upper end above the casing 14.

The lupper end of 4the post 13 is reduced in size at 15 and is externally screw-threaded to receive an internally screw-threaded lock capl7. The hub l() basa lateral extension 18 latene side to receive the locking bolts and the key cylinder, hereinafter mentioned. The upper part ofthe post 13 is provided with a transverse slot19 extending through it. slidably momma in the S101; 1.9 is a lockingbolt 20.

the hub 10 at such a point as STEERING-VHEEL LOCK.

specification of Letters Patent.

in the county of Polk and l' 22. Between the post in such manner thatvvhen thehaving the cam 27 in Iits lower Patented .nay ea, iai a.

Appncation alednecember s, 191e. serial No. 135,982.

to register with the slot 19 in one position of .the rotation of the hub 13 is a slot 21 in' which is slidably received a locking bolt locking bolt 22 and the closed end of the slot 21 is an expansible 'coil spring 23, which normally tends to move the bolt' 22 to position where part ofl said bolt projects outwardly from the slot 21.

' The extension 18 is provided with a suitable opening into which is screwed a cylindrical member 24. In the member 24 is rotatably mounted a-key cylinder 25 having the key slot 26 in its-upper portion and portion.

Inthe hub 10 isa" slot 28 opposite the slot 2l and designed to register with the slot 19 in certain positions of the wheel with relation to the post13.

Slidably mounted in the slot 28 is al locking pin member 30, engaged at one end by the cam 27 and at the'other end by alocking bolt- 20and yieldingly held in engagement with the cam 27 by the action of the spring 23. i y 1 i In the member 24 are a plurality of openings 31 arranged Aonva level with similar openings 32 in the cylinder-*25, and adapted to register' with the openings 32 when the cylinder 25Qis`in one of its positions.

In the openings 31 are slidably mounted locking bolts 33 which are yieldingly held at theoutward limit of their movement by springs 34. lIn the openings 32 are locking bolts 35. The key slot 26 is designed to receive a key 37 having a -hinged handle 38. The key 37 is of the type used in ordinary pin locks; The parts just described -are so arranged that when theopenings 32 and 31 register with each other, and the' .key 38 1s inserted in the slot 26, the Vlocking bolts 35 will be forced outwardly to position Where their outer ends register With the periphery of the cylinder 25, whereupon the cylinder 25 may be rotated by means of the 'key 37 for causing the cam 27 to move to position -wherethe locking bolt member 30 engages the locking bolt' member 20 and forces it longitudinally to position vwhere its ends register with the periphery of vthev the key may be removed post 13, whereupon and the wheel. will be disconnected from the post, so that it cannot be-used-ffor operating the steering mechanism of the automobile.`

.is hingedaas shown, and'is'provdedwith a hole or the like 40, adaptedto fit overa pin-A .2, J 41, shown in 1, whiohpin is' so 'located as to hold the ey in proper position for permitting thewheel to be firmly locked on the ost.v ,v T e operation of my improved steering wheel lock may be understood from the foregoing description. l

Many of the advantages of such a lock are also obvious from the description of the construction and operation.

It will be seen that when the key is moved to proper position and removed, the wheel will simply turn freely on thepost and it will be impossible to drive the automobile.

On the other hand when the key is in the position, shown in Fig. 2, and particularly when the handle is swung downwardly and secured to the pin 4l, the' lockparts` will be in such position that thewheel is -irmly locked on the post. The parts are of eX- tremeljr durable construction, and 'the locking mechanism is such as can be readily secured.- i

It will be obvious that my wheel and may be readily installed .on an automobile as an attachment, or ,may be installed dur'- ing the manufacture of the car.

I have shown lin the drawings simply an illustration of one form of adevice in which my invention may be embodied, and it is not my intension to limit myself to the4 particular form here shown, and it is my intention to cover by thepatent to be issued upon this application any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents in the parts of my wheel and lock which may be reasonably included within the scrope of my claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a device of the class described, a hollow steering post casing, a steering post mounted therein and projecting beyond the Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Zl':aten.ts,ii` Y- end thereof having a reduced screw-threaded extension 'on its yprojecting end, a steering wheel 'having a hub rotatably mounted on the projecting end of saidfp'ostand resting upon the upper end of said casing2 the projecting end of said post being provided with 4a transverse opening throu'ghvit, s aid hub being provided with opposite openings de-A signed in one position of the rotation of the hub to register with the openin 1n the post, a locking bolt mounted in sai" opening in said post, a locking bolt in one of the openings in the hub, a spring in said last named opening forforcing the locking bolt' therein toward the post, a locking bolt 'in the other openingv in'jthe hub, locking mechanism' v iii said hub comprising a body,l a cylindricall member rotatably mounted therein, having a key opening, a spring lock mechanism in said body and said cylindrical member for locking the cylindrical'member, said cylindrical member having a projecting end provided with a cam face adaptedto engage the second described locking bolt in the hub.

2. In a device of thecla'ss described, a 'hollow steering .post casing, a' 'steering post mounted therein and projecting beyond the end thereof, having a reduced screw-threaded extension-on its projecting end, a steering wheel having 'a hl'ibl rotatably mounted onthe projecting end of said post and resting upon the upper end lof said casing, the

projecting end of saidpost being provided with a transverse opening 'through it, said hub being provided with o posite openings designed in one position o 'the rotation of, fthe .hub to register with the opening in the post, a locking bolt mounted vii'ijsaidj opening in said post, y'a locking bolt in one ofthe open-- ings in the hub, a spring in said'last named opening for forcing the locking bolt therein toward the post, a locking bolt'in the other opening in the hub, locking mechanism in Said hub comprising a body, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted therein,'having a key opening, va spring lock mechanism in Said body and Said cylindrical member for locking the cylindrical member, said cylindrical memberhaving a projecting end provided with a cam face adapted to engage the second described locking bolt in the hub, and a cap secured on to the'extension of the post, and projecting laterally from said hub.

Des Moines, Iowa, December 2, 1916.

- CLAUDE E. MEN'IZER.

Washington, D. C. 

